


For the Good of the Order

by FruHallbera



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Blood and Violence, M/M, Minor Character Death, Sex, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-17 13:15:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16096415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FruHallbera/pseuds/FruHallbera
Summary: After the destruction of the Starkiller Base Hux is faced with a dilemma - to follow the Supreme Leader's orders and face the end of his career, or gamble it all and try and take the throne.





	For the Good of the Order

**Author's Note:**

> The awesome artwork is by the immensely talented ofcacthuxandkylosaur (thank you so much!). The artwork can be found HERE, andHERE. Go check it out!
> 
> Beta work was done by doittojulia (thank you! I can't offer my firstborn but my gratitude is right on that level). All the remaining mistakes are mine.

Hux held his breath for a few heartbeats before looking up at the looming figure of Snoke on his throne. He knew he was risking life and limb, but it was his duty to protect the First Order, his subordinates and above all, himself.

“Supreme Leader, I believe that instead of a military interv-”

“Are you questioning my orders, General?”

“Absolutely not, Supreme Leader.” Hux bowed his head to hide his reaction. He could not stop his jaw from clenching and his hands curling into fists behind his back. “However, I would like to voice my concerns over –“

His voice gave out as his throat constricted. He tried to keep from clawing at his neck but couldn’t stop his right hand from rising to his collar. On his throne Snoke leaned forward and narrowed his eyes at his wayward General. “I will not repeat myself. I expect my orders to be carried out to the letter. Dismissed, General.”

Snoke’s holo-image faded out, leaving a stunned Hux frozen in his place. This was not happening. Either the Supreme Leader of the First Order had taken leave of his senses, or he was working for the enemy. His demand for a full military intervention to snuff out a minor insurrection on some insignificant planet was – Hux balked at the word - foolish. Wasteful, even, especially after the catastrophic losses in recent history. The First Order would be better served with sending a few seasoned diplomats to soothe the affronted parties than to risk even one of her soldiers on an unnecessary mission.

In Hux’s experience, minor upheavals had the potential of become major rebellions if handled without due care. He didn’t know Snoke’s age – he suspected that no one did, probably not even Snoke himself – but given his experience and status he should know better. Hux stopped himself from continuing on that particular train of thought. He was toying with treason as it was, and there was no way of knowing how far Snoke’s mind reading abilities went. Or how many spies he had planted in Hux’s crew.

Maybe this was a test of loyalty. Hux had a lot to make up for since the Starkiller base had been lost. Snoke had not punished him, at least not yet, which made Hux’s paranoia flare up like never before. Usually Snoke never hesitated when dealing out due punishment. Hux had recurring nightmares of his execution, sometimes conducted by Snoke, sometimes by his guards, and in the worst ones by Ren. He knew his lack of proper rest was seeping into his work. It was making his immediate subordinates wary, and careful with their words, which only made Hux more prone to lose his temper. Which he hadn’t so far. He had heard some of his lieutenants whispering how he was held together by caffeine, spite and sheer willpower and thought it to be a fairly accurate description. For how long he could manage without bursting at the seams was anyone’s guess.

And Ren had not yet returned from his training with the Supreme Leader, and that if anything, had Hux edging towards madness. His preferred method of stress relief was denied to him for as long as Ren was called away -although he wasn’t certain they’d have the time to properly unwind together. Sometimes even Ren’s presence was enough to soothe his manic moments but with this, with the sheer number of fires in the form of casualties and flagging morale and thinning resources needing to be extinguished, Hux found himself in a desperate need of a brief escape from reality. He had tried to jerk off a couple of times but couldn’t bring himself to orgasm and had abandoned the futile attempt more frustrated than when he had begun.

It was all beginning to fall apart. As soon as he lost control of himself he would lose control of his officers and High Command. Snoke would not back him up this time. Ren might, or would have done so in their previous life, before Starkiller. But Ren was not here, Hux had no idea where he was and when he would return – or if he would return at all – and that was proving to be more painful than Hux was willing to admit.

Hux made his way out of the audience chamber ignoring the way adrenaline and exhaustion made him shake. His found his fingers loosening his collar, trying to ease the pain of being choked. He yanked his hand away, suddenly furious at himself for such a display of weakness.

He had work to do.

****  
Hux stared resentfully at the holoimage of the star system spinning over the briefing room desk. The officers around him shifted in their seats, fidgeting with their datapads and cuffs. Their orders were clear. Their willingness to fulfill them was clearly lacking. Hux should have found a way to reassure them, or simply dole out punishment for the obvious lack of enthusiasm but he wasn’t feeling up to it. There were too many empty chairs around the table, and the occupants of the others were fraying at the edges, just as exhausted as Hux was. He thought, bitterly and hating himself for it, that their lot was easier to bear, that they could display their burden and seek the support of their comrades. Hux had no such luxury at his disposal. It was his duty to keep the Order going and worry about himself only if there was time for it. His fingers pressed into his palms and he bit the inside of his cheek hoping for the pain to clear his head. There was no time for self-pity either, nor was it in any way acceptable behavior in his position.

“I was under the impression that the planet was already ours, sir.” Of course, it was Peavey who had the courage to speak up. The men and women around him stiffened and shifted slightly away from the old Captain. Hux glared at him, fingernails seeking to dig further into the palms of his hands but stopped by his gloves. His nostrils flared as he forced is jaw to unclench.

“It’s not our place to question the orders of the Supreme Leader.” Hux had meant it to be a reproach but it came out all wrong. He cleared his throat, opened his mouth for a proper dressing down and closed it abruptly. Weariness enveloped him like a thick blanket, weighed on his shoulders and fogged his mind.

“Of course, sir.” Peavey’s apprehension was palpable. Hux understood. The old Imperial held tightly to the almost idealistic concepts of honour and keeping one’s word. He might have hated Hux on a personal level, and Hux returned the sentiment freely, but since the fall of the Empire the Captain’s unrelenting loyalty had shifted to the First Order and Hux was a representative of the Order’s success. The Captain might have been a stubborn old relic of bygone era, but he was not a fool and was perfectly capable of brushing aside his personal feelings.

“Dismissed. You have your orders.”

The Captain lingered behind after the other officers had filed out of the room. He made a show of typing some last-minute notes on his datapad and emptying his glass of water. Hux found the energy to scowl at him as he got up slowly, took a few steps towards the door and then paused before turning around.

“General,” he began, uncharacteristically cautious. “If I may, a word?”

Hux grunted his assent and leaned back in his chair. He started gathering the patience to listen to the inevitable attack on his person, all done politely and just touching the edges of insubordination, of course. The Captain shifted his weight and creased his brow, as if he had trouble finding the correct words. Hux was surprised. Peavey usually had no trouble in speaking his mind.

“Out with it, Captain. I don’t have all day,” he finally spat, the beginnings of a headache throbbing behind his eyes. Better to have this over with, and if he was lucky enough the Captain might overstep his boundaries and justify a proper bollocking. Right now, Hux was willing to accept any form of pressure relief thrown in his direction.

“I have always served the Empire and the First Order loyally, sir. Always. I have considered it an honor and a privilege to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause, even if my talents are humble compared to people such as yourself.”

Hux’s irritation transformed rapidly into outright confusion. He knew the man was old, and that the demise of Starkiller had left no one unaffected, but Peavey had apparently taken leave of his senses. Hux flexed his right arm casually, loosening the blade strapped to his wrist.

Peavey was avoiding eye contact and blinking nervously but he seemed determined to say his bit, never mind the consequences. “As you said, sir, it is not for the likes of us to criticize the orders of the Supreme Leader. However, I feel I must voice my concern over this, this – “ Peavey trailed into silence.

Hux, who had bristled at the likes of us, leveled his best glare at the Captain. “It seems to me that despite your misgivings you are more than willing to criticize the course of action set upon us.”  
“It is wasteful, sir. Wasteful and unnecessary and doomed to fail. I cannot see any reason as to why we should sacrifice our resources to such an unworthy endeavor after all that’s happened. It’ll take us away from the remains of the Republic, where we should be heading to stabilize the situation and to take control of the systems looking for a proper leadership. This is a foolish order, sir. It had to be said, sir. I am willing to face the consequences of my actions, but it had to be said.”

Hux busied himself with pouring a glass of water, hoping that Peavey would not see how his hands were shaking. This was it, he realized. Either he followed Snoke’s orders and lost the loyalty of his men, or he would think the unthinkable and try to find a way to oust Snoke.

In the end the decision was easy. Destruction was inevitable no matter what he chose to do, but at least he’d go out fighting and not demoted and forgotten and likely by his own hand. He took a sip of his water.

“Captain.” Peavey’s posture went almost impossibly rigid at Hux’s soft voice. “Tell me, are there others who feel as you do?”

He watched the old man open and close his mouth, sweat trickling down his face before he took pity and went on. “Understand this: I can and absolutely will have you executed and posthumously demoted, by my own hand if necessary, if this spreads outside of this room. This being said, I can confess that I am not entirely comfortable with the given orders myself.”

The Captain’s relief poured off him and he too a few deep breaths before fully realizing what Hux had said. He pulled out a chair and sat down gingerly. “There might be others, one or two, and I am not willing to part with their names yet, who might be inclined to feel sympathetic towards our, um, plight, sir.”

“And by sympathetic you mean...?”

“I mean that people would feel more confident if the leadership of our Order were in the hands of someone who truly knows us and our ways. A true son of the Order, so to speak.”

Hux could tell Peavey was making this up as he went along. If there were any discontents harboring conspiracies against Snoke they most certainly would not have planned to replace him with Hux. Still, he preened from the flattery and thought that if he was to take part in this, it would be all or nothing, Emperor or death. They sat in silence for a while, Hux toying with his glass of water, briefly allowing himself the indulgence of imagining himself the crowned Emperor.

Peavey, true to his nature, brought that to an abrupt end.

“Your, um, affiliation with the Lord Ren might prove to be problematic in this instance, sir.”

Hux nearly choked on his water. His first instinct was to deny everything, but the look on Peavey’s face convinced it would be for nothing. Instead, he said, “we’ve tried to keep it discreet. How many know of it?”

“Well, this is a star destroyer, sir,” Peavey shrugged.

That was mortifying. There was nothing in the known universe more capable of spreading gossip than a well-oiled crew of a First Order battleship. Hux had used that to his advantage in more than one occasion but it inevitably followed that it would return to bite him in the ass. His face must have conveyed his feelings because Peavey continued. “I doubt anyone beyond the command crew knows.”

Hux almost sagged in relief. “You must know that I my duty to the Order will always come first.”

“Yessir. Your commitment to our cause has always been commendable.”

Hux searched his face but found no trace of irony. He inclined his head. Coming from Peavey that was high praise indeed.

“May I also add, sir, that your influence has made Lord Ren more amenable.”

Hux shifted in his chair. True though that might have been, it didn’t take away the uncomfortable fact that Ren was Snoke’s apprentice, loyal to death and bound to his Master in ways Hux could not fully understand. If he somehow managed to keep his thoughts secret from Snoke he could not prevent Ren from finding out. He had made Ren swear not to breach his mind - it was a condition of their arrangement, - but if he inadvertently made the Knight suspicious he could not rely on Ren keeping his promise.

“Let me worry about Ren, Captain.”

An arriving message interrupted him. It was from his aide, informing him of the estimated date and time of Ren’s return.

****  
Hux pressed a hand on the cold durasteel of Ren’s door. The Knight had marched right past Hux and the accompanying honour guard, out of the hangar bay and into his quarters. His body language had been completely alien to Hux - he had familiarized himself with Ren’s anger and the occasional amusement, his lust and the usually well-hidden uncertainty. This, whatever it was, made Hux uneasy and not a little worried.

Ren had left a broken man, wracked with impotent rage and severe wounds, refusing to see or speak to Hux. Hux had let him be, at the moment of Starkiller’s loss his life became a relentless stream of horror and self-doubt, an endless labour pretending to be a strong and confident leader when all he had wanted to do was to curl up in dark room and scream. There had been a moment or two when he had thought how it would feel to just end it all but he discarded that idea quickly. He couldn’t. He’d see this through, he’d survive as he had always done, go through the darkness and emerge victorious.

But at that moment there simply had not been enough time for Ren and his fury and fear. There had not been enough time to consider how utterly enamoured Ren had become of the scavenger girl, practically shoving Hux aside and letting her consume him.

And here he was now, standing behind the door like a lovelorn hero of a bad holodrama, wanting to go in but fearing rejection. He let his hand slide down the smooth surface, and requested entry. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. He pressed the button again and waited. This time the door slid open.

“Ren.”

The Knight turned on his heel from the door and walked back into his rooms. He had stripped his robe and undershirt and Hux flinched at the sight of his new scars. He had seen the wounds after the evacuation of the collapsing Starkiller but had assumed that Ren would have had the full bacta treatment. Apparently not, and whether it had been denied from him or he had refused it himself was a mystery to Hux. Either option sounded just as plausible.

“Ren.” Still no answer. Not even a look in Hux’s direction. Hux drew closer, slowly, so as not to agitate the clearly vexed Knight any further. From what he understood Snoke’s training methods were brutal and unforgiving, designed to mold the recipient into a perfect conduit of the Dark Force. Hux had read between the lines that Snoke had taken on apprentices before Ren, but their life expectancy had been woefully short.

All the more reason to carry on with his plan, then, as soon as he came up with one.

Hux raised reached out and traced the old, familiar scars down Ren’s side to the angry, red mess marring the entirety of his left flank. He splayed his hand over it, watching carefully for Ren’s reaction. The Knight stood still, breathing heavily and refusing to meet Hux’s eyes. “Leave it,” Ren gritted out and took a step back. “I don’t want you touching it.”

“Fine. I’m sorry.” Hux mirrored Ren’s movement, holding his hands in Ren’s sight, palms up. “Won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

“None of your concern.”

“Fine. Fine.” Hux imagined he saw the Force coiling around Ren, ready to strike out and destroy anything in its path. He felt out of his depth here, although he had witnessed a great many outbursts of Ren’s rage and more than once even managed to calm him down before anything too expensive was demolished. Right now, Hux was reminded of a tsunami he had once barely escaped. He, a gangly lieutenant sent to assist a bloated, old general on a diplomatic mission to a seaside capital of a mineral-rich little planet, had found himself on the beach with nothing much to do but to kill time. He had seen the water recede far beyond the usual tide, had stood there wondering until a local man had grabbed his hand and forced him to run to his speeder. Hux had watched transfixed as the ocean returned, unstoppable, wiping away everything in its way.

That’s what Ren was doing. Receding.

Hux ought to run. Instead he went back to Ren, faced the danger head on. He twined his fingers in Ren’s hair, pushed it behind his ear and leaned in for a kiss. Ren returned it after a second’s delay, began wrapping his hands around Hux’s waist and after a brief moment slid them down to knead his buttocks. Hux could feel Ren’s interest against his thigh, his own lust coiling in his belly. Ren pulled him closer still, delved deeply in Hux’s mouth with his tongue and moved his hips until their erections were rubbing against one another.

All of a sudden, he stopped, shoved Hux away and turned to go into his refresher. “Get out. I don’t want you here.” Even his voice was different, hoarse and quiet, not the deep rumble Hux had come to associate with their intimacy.

“Ren?”

“Get out!”

“No. I won’t go until you tell me what is going on!”

Ren had stopped, the muscles in his shoulders bunching and head bowed. “Leave. Now.”

“No.”

Ren turned abruptly, and for the first time since meeting him all those years ago, Hux was truly afraid. Eyes narrowed, and teeth bared in murderous grimace Ren advanced like the tsunami, hand raised to push the Force ahead of him. Hux flew through the air until his back met with the wall and he fell to the floor wheezing the air back to his lungs. He heard the fresher door closing behind Ren. Legs trembling and almost refusing to hold his weight Hux got up, leaning one hand against the wall for support. He staggered out of Ren’s quarters, managed a close enough approximation of his usual posture in the corridor and let his knees give out only when he was in the relative safety of his own rooms.

The tears were completely uncalled for and quite shocking. Hux wiped them away as they welled up, brushing them off as a byproduct of the pain. He was certain that there’d be bruises, and just as certain that no bones were broken. He would know, after having had to take care of a broken rib or two when he had inevitably disappointed his father. He removed his jacket and shirt, ran his fingers over his skin, hissing in pain. No blood, only properly tenderized muscle and severely injured pride to deal with.

The sound of the door sliding open made him turn around and take several steps back, hand grasping for his blaster. Ren strode towards him, grabbed his undershirt and began to pull it off, capturing his lips in a kiss after his torso was bare. Hux reeled in the onslaught of conflicting emotion, tried to break the kiss, but then Ren was sinking to his knees and Hux’s entire being focused into that point of contact.

***  
The sofa underneath them creaked faintly as Hux sat in Ren’s lap, riding him with increasing pace. Ren’s hands were bruising his hips as he tried to steady the movement. Hux grabbed hold of the back of the sofa for leverage and ground himself on Ren’s cock with growing fervor. He leaned down to capture Ren’s lips in a heated kiss, eliciting a series of low moans form the Knight.  
“Hux. Slow down.” Ren’s voice was thick with some unknown emotion. “Slow down, just slow down, please.”

Hux drew in a ragged breath as his body urged him to do the exact opposite but managed to slow his pace. Ren slid his hands up Hux’s sides and chest, letting them come to rest on the back of his head. He pulled Hux back into a kiss, then wrapped his arms around the smaller man and buried his face in the crook of his neck. He ground into Hux with a steady, slow rhythm while holding on him like his life depended on it. Hux frowned. This didn’t feel like their normal tryst. Hux wasn’t expert on the subject, but this felt like lovemaking.

Hux twined his fingers in Ren’s hair and pulled his head back gently. Whatever it was that he had meant to say died on his lips as he saw that the Knight’s face was wet with tears. Hux stopped moving altogether.

“What is it?”

Ren’s face wrinkled as he squeezed his eyes shut. He tightened his grip around Hux’s waist, sighed and blinked his eyes open. “Nothing. It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

That wasn’t very convincing. Hux kept his other hand in Ren’s hair, and removed the other to wipe the tears away. He raised the hand in front of Ren’s eyes as evidence. “This is clearly not nothing.” He felt his erection starting to wilt. Ren’s expression was transforming into a familiar scowl.

“I thought I told you mind your own business.” He released his hold of Hux and shook his head to make Hux let go of his hair. He ran his fingers through it as if to rid himself of the last vestiges of Hux’s touch.

Hux glared at Ren for a second and shook his head. “Fine,” he said. “Have it your way.” He raised himself slightly and sat down again, sharply, intending to fuck the scowl out of Ren’s face. Instead of complying Ren took a hold of Hux’s hips and held him in place.

“Stop it. Just stop. I can’t do this now.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” It came out all wrong, but Hux had never had patience to deal with frustration and thwarted desire. Ren’s scowl turned rapidly into a full snarl of fury and he lifted Hux forcibly out of his lap. Hux hissed with the sudden pain and nearly lost his balance stumbling off the sofa.

“I told you not to trouble your pretty little head with it. Some things are beyond your understanding.”

Hux nearly choked on is anger. “What the fuck, Ren? Seriously, what is your problem? What the fuck happened to you after Starkiller? You run away from me, then you want to fuck me, but then again you don’t - “

“Shut up, Hux. Shut your fucking mouth for once in your life.” Ren was practically shaking with rage now, obviously trying to rein his emotions in. His voice was deceptively flat, a sure sign of impending storm. Wiser men might have read the signs and either retreated or tried to placate the furious Knight, but while Hux was usually a fast learner but this time he was too far gone to care if he was to receive another flying lesson. The small objects around the room began to shake.

“Is it _her?_ Is she the one you want riding your cock instead of me?” Hux snarled, and the room exploded around him.

The furniture went flying to the walls, smaller objects danced in the air and missed Hux only by inches as he crouched down on the floor, shielding his head with his hands. In the middle of the destruction Ren stood and screamed and screamed and screamed until his voice gave out. He folded, limb by limb until he was on his hands and knees, shaking from the force of the sobs ravaging him. Hux straightened slowly, wide-eyed and panting. He took in what had become of his living room and took a hesitant step towards Ren. Then another, as it seemed that Ren did not see this as a threatening gesture. He came to kneel on the floor beside the still sobbing Knight, wrapped his arm around Ren’s shoulders and leaned his head against his.

“He made me kill my father.” It came out as whisper. Hux shifted, ignoring his growing uneasiness at the face of such naked emotion and wrapped his other hand around Ren’s chest, pulling him up on his knees. He held the Knight in his embrace until his breathing evened out and the sobs subsided. “He made me kill my father and he promised it would make everything better. He promised.”  
Hux drew in a breath as he understood. “Your father, he promised you a lot of things, didn’t he?”

Ren nodded, worrying his lower lip between his teeth. He was still slumped in an utterly hopeless heap on the floor but began to lean ever so slightly into Hux.

“And Leader Snoke, he promised you a lot of things, too?” This wasn’t bordering on treason, this was a full-on declaration of mutiny, and Hux knew Ren would be well within his rights to execute him on the spot. Yet, on some visceral level he knew that this would not happen, that Ren had become just as disillusioned as himself. Ren’s face twisted into a new bout of sobs as he nodded again. Ren’s face was so pale Hux feared he might faint on the spot. He leaned further into Hux’s embrace and twisted enough to throw his arms around the General, nearly crushing him breathless.  
“Hux,” Ren’s whisper was barely audible. “Hux, I don’t know what to do.”

Hux tightened his grip. He was acutely aware of how precarious the situation was, at best Ren was volatile and always manifested his feelings with action, and now – if he didn’t play his cards right, he would not survive the next hour. Hux had just all but confessed to a treason. Ren might care for him on some obscure level, but Hux knew in Ren’s world his Master took precedence over everything.  
“Hux, you have to help me. Please. Help me. I don’t know what to do!” Ren was shaking now, trembling almost violently and clinging to Hux for dear life.

“Shh. It’ll be all right.” Hux didn’t know where the words came from, he had certainly never been one to offer comfort or require that from others, if anything his first instinct was to smack the sense back into the crying man in his arms. He tried to believe in his own words, wanted to convince Ren without actually making him a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep. He did care for the Knight, in his way, even though admitting it was extremely difficult. One more promise broken would probably break Ren beyond repair and Hux didn’t want to be the one to have caused that. “It’ll be all right, Ren. Just.. just calm down.”

“I can’t do this anymore. I can’t. Not with him.”

To that Hux had nothing to say. Ren’s confession hung heavily in the air between them. Hux drew back and pressed a tentative kiss on Ren’s lips. The Knight responded, hesitantly at first but then with a purpose. When he eventually eased Hux on the floor and pushed into him, it felt exactly like Hux had always imagined lovemaking to feel. To his surprise he didn’t resent it nearly as much as he thought he would. He wrapped his legs around Ren’s waist and craned his head to one side to give Ren a free access to his neck. They rocked together until Hux couldn’t take it anymore and urged for a faster pace. Ren braced his hands on the floor and complied, going faster and rougher and not stopping even when Hux reached down between them to take himself in hand, and shortly after arched his back and came hissing and moaning Ren’s name. Ren chased his own orgasm grunting and dripping sweat on Hux, finally tipping over the edge and collapsing on Hux.  
Hux kept his arms and legs wrapped around him and held on tightly. Whether this was for Ren’s benefit or his own, he could not tell.

*****

The days that followed seemed almost surreal. After the third time Hux had faltered in the middle of a briefing trying to figure out if there were any members of his and Peavey’s impromptu conspiracy present he had summoned the Captain to his office and forced the names out of him on the pain of a short walk out of the nearest airlock. Most of the names mentioned were no surprises to Hux – members of the Admiralty and higher ranks, of the same stock as Peavey, just as old and bloated and stuck in their ways. If they managed to pull this off, Hux would have to deal with them swiftly and in such a way that it would not encourage any further attempts at regime change.

Some of the fellow conspirators were a surprise. Young, ambitious men and women Hux knew from the Academy or had served under him. With them he could work with.

The biggest revelation was that the animosity towards Snoke ran deeper than Hux had imagined. What was also implied that Hux would have absolutely no time to waste after his ascension to the throne if he wanted to avoid an outright civil war and the dissolution of the First Order. Assuming, of course, that they’d first survive and succeed in their endeavour.

How could someone like Snoke be killed, anyway?

Ren would know. Ren would know but Hux could not risk asking him even after Ren’s meltdown. The man was too unpredictable and Hux had always had his doubts of his sanity. Besides, Ren had all but gone AWOL, in the past week Hux had only caught glimpses of him turning around a corner or climbing in his Silencer. All his messages, both personal and professional, went unanswered unless Ren required something that needed Hux’s approval. In those cases, he apparently forced any unfortunate passer-by to act as his personal messenger. It had taken Hux a good three days to understand why random officers were suddenly forwarding him requisition forms. He signed them off quickly, in the hope that Ren would find whatever solace he could in his missions.

Hux’s makeshift comrades-in-arms clearly had no clue of how deal with powerful, force-wielding creatures either. Hux had already vetoed quite a few rather creative plans of assassinating their Leader, all of which would have ended in summarily executions of everyone involved the very moment Snoke found out about them. Which would have been about fifteen minutes before the attempt at his life, if not before.

“We are running out of time, ladies and gentlemen,” Hux told the assembled revolutionaries. They returned his glare, clearly unimpressed with his decision. They’d have no chance in succeeding if they couldn’t find it in themselves to work as a unit and for a little while put aside their own meagre ambitions. “There simply are too many people involved, someone is bound to blab or do something rash.”

While it felt that Snoke was everywhere at once, he was notoriously difficult to meet in person. He usually resided aboard the Supremacy, but there was no guarantee he’d be there on any given time; his most immediate staff probably knew his itinerary but none of them could be bribed or threatened into revealing any of it. Snoke had them under some influence of his, the droid-like demeanour of the staffers never failed to unnerve Hux.

“Our best chance, in my opinion, is to plant a bomb in Snoke’s shuttle.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Admiral Widum, an old man with burn-scarred face and a malicious glint in his eyes leaned forward, his right shoulder disappearing from the flickering holoimage. “That damned thing is almost as heavily guarded as the Leader himself.”

“We don’t know when he’ll be traveling, either. The hyperdrive could be rigged to explode when activated, but that can only be done if we can find an excuse to board his shuttle.” Hux relaxed in his chair as Peavey spoke. He let them brainstorm a few ideas before clearing his throat and straightening up.

“I think you are all ignoring the most obvious answer. Self-sacrifice.”

Widum’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious? That one of us would be willing to carry the device onboard? Which one of us you had in mind? Perhaps yourself?”

“Do not be absurd. Snoke would know instantly if one of us would try it. Let’s call it unwilling self-sacrifice.” Now he had their interest. “We can’t hide the bomb in anyone’s luggage because we do not know who will be traveling with Leader Snoke, but if we have the device, and our agent onboard the Supremacy, they can ask for a favour, just a small parcel to be delivered to whomever at their destination.”

It wasn’t a foolproof plan, far from it. There were too many variables for Hux to be completely happy with it but given the pressure he was under it was the best he could come up with. In the end they agreed upon he plan. One of Widum’s lieutenants was due to transfer to the Supremacy, and she would be tasked with getting the bomb onboard the shuttle. None of her duties would bring her close to Snoke, and she could be stationed at the hangar bay control so that made her as perfect a candidate as possible. And as an added bonus she had no connection to Hux in any shape or form.  
Hux ended the meeting with a nagging feeling that he had overlooked something, and all of this would somehow blow up in his face. Both figuratively and literally. He powered his datapad down and decided to at least take care of one nagging problem. He’d have to talk to Ren. Hux had seen Ren in his anger and depression and shared his rare tender moments with him but the way he was tailspinning towards some unfamiliar madness made Hux extremely worried for him. He hated it. Hated the overwhelming emotion, how it interrupted his daily routine and made his guts churn. Hux wasn’t entirely certain confronting the cause of his anxiety would help either one of them but observing from distance was impossible.

Pursing his lips, he turned his datapad back on and made a search for Ren’s tracker. The last known location was outside of the Finalizer, presumably just before entering hyperspace. Hux was not aware of any away mission Ren was supposed to be a part of and sent off an enquiry to his aide. The response took some time, and it did not ease Hux’s anxiety at all.

_Leader Snoke has requested Lord Ren’s presence for the foreseeable future._

***  
Hux sat in the uncomfortable seat of his personal shuttle forcing himself to sit still by holding a tight grip on the armrests. His summons to the Supreme Leader had been abrupt and Hux’s polite enquiry as to the why he was needed in person had been met with silence.

It wouldn’t be anything good, that much was certain.

Snoke had finally decided it was time for Hux’s punishment, or he was not happy with Hux’s lack of enthusiasm to carry out his latest order, or he had found out about the conspiracy. On the other hand, it probably didn’t matter, Hux would more than likely be dead before the day was over. He could hope for a swift death but had seen too many displays of their Leader’s displeasure to cling to that hope for too long.

Oh well. It hadn’t been a good life for the most part, but it had had its moments. Hux’s only regret was that if their plan eventually worked, and Snoke was killed, with people like Peavey and Widum left in charge the First Order would be falling apart within a year. Not even Ren with all his Force powers could hold the squabbling factions at bey.

The journey to the Supremacy was entirely too short, and the walk from the hangar bay to the throne room entirely too long. Hux could imagine everyone’s eyes on him, staring with morbid curiosity. He kept his back straight and head held high as he marched along the corridors.

He did not expect Ren to join him when he stepped into a turbolift. The Knight held the door open with the Force and stepped in, not acknowledging Hux’s presence in any way. Hux almost greeted him but decided against it and turned his head to look at the wall. Ren’s mask hid any and all emotions, but his body looked like he was a predator coiling before an attack, shoulders slightly hunched and fingers curling and uncurling constantly. As they stepped out of the lift Ren’s hand shot forwards and grabbed Hux’s elbow.

“Shut up.”

“What? I wasn’t speaking, Ren.”

“No, but I can hear your thoughts. And if I can, so can _he_.”

Of course. And if Ren had picked the wrong ideas from Hux’s mind Snoke would probably already be aware of them. Panic began to rise as Hux fought to quieten his mind. Ren regarded him for a while, then made sound which would have been a frustrated scoff hadn’t the vocoder transformed it into a threatening growl. He placed his large hands on Hux’s temples, pulled him forwards and brought their foreheads together.

“Calm, Hux. I can help you.”

Hux let loose an undignified squeal when he felt something entering his mind, sliding underneath his surface thoughts, as if spreading a cover over the rest of his mind. He was suddenly glad he had only had a light lunch, otherwise he might have vomited it all over the floor. He clung to Ren for support until his legs stopped shaking and his head spinning.

“What did you just do? Ren? _Ren!_ ”

But Ren was already striding towards the throne room door, as if Hux had ceased to exist altogether. Hux hurried after him, the guards at the door admitting them both in.

Hux managed three steps before faltering. He continued on, trying not to look at the young woman suspended in thin air, her face twisted with pain. Snoke flicked his fingers, and she spun slowly, whimpering and sobbing as another movement of Snoke’s hand stretched her body to its limits.

Hux thought it wisest to follow Ren’s example and went down on one knee, bowed his head and waited for Snoke to greet them.

“General. Status report, if you please.”

Hux blinked in surprise but got up and began to rattle off his report, keeping his eyes fixed on the datapad. The situation was spiralling out of his control, or rather it had done so already, right when the shields were lowered on Starkiller. The reality of it had just waited this long to hit home. The girl – Hux refused to think of her name, he couldn’t risk being connected to her in any way – screamed when silvery-blue lightning danced on her body. Hux fell into silence.

“You may wonder, General, as to why I have this sweet young thing serving as my entertainment. As it happened, it came to my attention that beneath her lovely demeanour she was planning on attempting to harm me.” Snoke’s voice remained casual as he once again made her almost pass out from his torture. “As if that could be done. The thing is, I do not believe her to have come up with this all on her own and what she knew wasn’t much. Not much at all.”

Snoke’s hand clenched into a fist, and the woman’s body crumpled and dropped from the air with a sickening thud. Hux didn’t try to suppress his flinch at the sound, using it to mask his relief at not being found out.

“There you have your next assignment, General. I want you to prioritize this sad attempt at a coup. Find out who’s behind it and bring them to me for punishment. My apprentice will help you – General?” Snoke leaned forward on his throne, frowning as he beckoned Hux to step closer. “What is this? Your mind is sealed from me.”

Hux fell on his knees when Snoke began to push past the defences Ren had put in place. Pain seared through his head, white-hot and blinding. He more felt than heard Snoke say “You! You would betray me, you worthless little man. I see your father was right after all, you’re just as useless as he said.”

The pain intensified, became unbearable and crushing. Hux couldn’t breathe or move, he crumpled to the floor clutching his throat, tears streaming from his eyes. Then, abruptly, it stopped. He was still held in place, but the awful torture eased as Snoke came to the inevitable conclusion that there was no way Hux could have shielded himself and turned his attention to his apprentice still kneeling in a show of obedience.

If there were words exchanged between them, it wasn’t done in a way Hux could understand. He saw Snoke’s face twist in an unbridled fury, Ren stare back in defiance and stand up slowly, reaching for his lightsaber. Snoke drew in a sharp breath, narrowed his eyes and suddenly the very air tasted of ozone.

Hux watched, as if in a dream, as Ren fell. Lightning danced on his body and his mouth opened in silent scream. Hux struggled against the force holding him in place. He had to fight for each breath he drew, his vision blurring at the edges. He harnessed all of his strength to turn his head, counted the eight guards, took note of how Snoke’s attention was fixed in Ren’s punishment and hoped against all hope that Ren would hold on for just a moment longer. Ren’s eyes flickered in Hux’s direction before closing tightly.

Hux felt Ren in his mind, felt the shielding walls slam in place.

Felt the binds lifting.

He drew a deep breath, snatched his blaster from the holster and fired in rapid succession several shots at Snoke. The Supreme Leader’s hand shot out to deflect the fire, but by that time Hux had already flicked his blade from his sleeve into his hand and thrown it. The knife flew in beautiful arc through the air and embedded itself right above Snoke’s left ear. Hux knew that he’d be dreaming of the knife’s flight for years to come. Snoke had always underestimated him. In fact, Snoke was just the latest of a long line of people who had underestimated him. Hux loved nothing more than to show them how utterly wrong they were in that.

It took mere seconds for the praetorian guards to realize what had happened, and as Snoke toppled from the throne, they ran forward drawing their weapons. Hux knew that he’d have no chance of survival in close combat, so he raised his blaster and aimed for the weak spots of their armor. It might not kill them outright, but it would slow them down enough for Ren to finish them off with no trouble.

Ren –

Ren was still on the ground, tears streaming down his face contorted in agony. Hux didn’t know if it was possible, but he tried to keep the connection to Ren in his mind open, willing the Knight to draw strength from him. To his relief Ren began to rise, slowly and unsteadily, shaking his head and fumbling for his lightsaber. He ignited the weapon, and it seemed to Hux that instinct took over that instant.

The guards predictably fixed their attention to Ren. Hux continued to fire at them, miraculously killing one and severely wounding another. Ren was a masterpiece whirling in the middle of the fray, his blade cutting through armor and flesh. Hux could see that he was still not in full command of his abilities. He fired his blaster until it clicked empty, and Ren still had two guards attacking him.  
Hux looked at the fight, turned his eyes to the fallen figure of the former Supreme Leader, and gathering all of his willpower not to balk, ran to the throne. He came to a halt a few paces before Snoke’s crumpled body, approached cautiously looking for any signs of life and found none. He placed his boot against Snoke’s head, took a firm grip of the hilt of his trusted blade and pulled with all his might. The blade came free with a sickening crunch, and Hux nearly fell backwards at the sudden release. He tore his eyes away from Snoke and turned to see Ren struggling under the attack of the last remaining guard. All thought escaped Hux as he saw Ren stumbling and falling to his knees, holding his saber above his head, trying to push away the guard’s spear. Hux’s feet began to run without his command, his hand gripping the knife and his mouth curling into a predator’s snarl. The guard swayed slightly to the left, craned his head minutely, and that was all the opening Hux needed. The knife sank home for the second time that night, finding its way between the neck guard and the helmet. Hux kept pushing the knife in, falling down with the guard and straddling them until he more felt than saw Ren’s hand wrapping around his.

“Let go, Hux. Let go. It’s over.”

Tremors began somewhere in Hux’s core, traveling outwards until his entire body shook uncontrollably. He looked at Ren’s face, at the stupid grin spreading on it, undoubtedly matching it with his own. Their foreheads pressed together, slippery with blood and sweat but that was something Hux would remember only later.

“It’s not over, Ren,” he panted, voice hoarse and thick. “I fear this is only the beginning.”

 


End file.
